THE London-Irish Abortion Rights Campaign calls for the repeal of the 8th amendment from the Irish constitution and campaigns for access to free safe legal abortion in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

We are the London branch of the Abortion Rights Campaign in Ireland, and we are a member of the Coalition to Repeal the 8th Amendment

The Aims of THE LONDON IRISH ABORTION RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

Our aim is to bring people in London together to campaign for free, safe, legal abortion by fundraising, policy & advocacy, direct action, establishing partnerships with relevant people and organisations in the UK and building awareness through media and communication.

The Aims of the Abortion Rights Campaign

To lift the stigma and silence surrounding abortion and women’s reproductive healthcare choices through educational programmes and awareness raising projects and by facilitating people to share their abortion experiences in supportive and empowering environments.

To promote broad national support for a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment to the Constitution by Dáil Éireann; to push for the introduction of extensive abortion legislation by the Northern Ireland Assembly; and to ensure the health of women in pregnancy is protected in line with international human rights standards

To educate the public and policymakers about the need for access to free, safe and legal abortion options in Ireland for all who need it, regardless of citizenship or financial capacity, in line with provision of other basic healthcare options

To mobilise support nationally from a diverse range of groups, organisations, trades unions, communities and individuals for the right to choose in pregnancy.

To promote the provision of relevant up-to-date information to support evidence-based policy-making and to challenge anti-choice rhetoric that threatens reproductive freedom.

8 Reasons to Repeal the 8th

- Abortion Rights Campaign

Here is a simple breakdown of why we need to repeal the 8th amendment of the constitution. It is by no means all of the reasons.

The 8th Amendment equates the life of a woman to that of an embryo.

The vast majority of women who want and need abortions are unable to access them in Ireland under interpretations of this law.

Women have already died in Ireland having been denied life-saving abortion procedures.

At least 150,000 women have travelled to other countries to procure abortions since 1980.

Thousands of women are unable to travel for abortion services due to family, legal status, financial situation, or health.

People who procure abortion within the country risk a 14 year jail term. Doctors can be jailed too.

The majority of people in Ireland support much wider access to abortion than is permitted under the 8th Amendment.

The life and health of a pregnant woman has a much greater value than our constitution places on it.

8 Reasons to Repeal the 8th - The Coalition to repeal the 8th Amendment

It prohibits abortion in all cases except where doctors believe a woman’s life is at risk.

It forces 10 women and girls a day to leave Ireland for a medical procedure they should be able to access here.

It discriminates against women and girls who cannot travel.

It makes an unworkable and dangerous distinction between a pregnant woman’s life and her health.

It makes abortion, including the use of abortion pills, a criminal offence.

It creates an unequal health system where a pregnant woman has only a qualified right to health.

It violates international human rights standards on women’s rights

It does not reflect contemporary public opinion.

Public Opinion in Ireland

87% of people in Ireland want access to abortion expanded. Of these, only 7% want expanded access limited to fatal foetal abnormalities. 80% want access at least in cases where a woman’s life or health is at risk or where the pregnancy is as a result of rape or incest, including 38% of these in favour of access in all circumstances. Only 5% of people are opposed to abortion in all circumstances.

73% believe the government should hold a referendum to allow people an opportunity to vote on whether or not to remove the Eighth Amendment.

63% believe that Irish politicians should show leadership and deal proactively with widening access to abortion in Ireland.

52% of respondents feel they do not know enough about the Eighth Amendment to know how they would vote and would like the media to give more information on it. This view is particularly pronounced outside of Dublin.

People’s religion does not significantly impact on their views on abortion. In fact, 82% of those who consider themselves religious agreed that their religious views should not be imposed on others. Only one in five people (20%) who consider themselves to be religious say that they have “very conflicted” views on abortion because of their religion. 13% of those opposed to abortion in all circumstances shared this view. 28% of those who favour some expansion to abortion access agreed that they hide it because of their perception of how people who share their religion would feel about them.